Local Reflection

Like the author of Getting A Grip 2, our class exposes us to so many issues in the world. We cover issues such as nutrition to power within the world and within ourselves. The word “power” has a different meaning to me after reading our last book; it seem like a word we always go back to when discussing other issues. Power is the main source for problems, because most of the time is it not balanced. In an inaugural address by Ronald Regan, he says that, “‘Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem, […].’ Citizens are made to fear that going for what they desire and known is right, like ending poverty and rescuing the environment, would unleash the big, bad state (80)”. Often times this is the case, we are afraid to speak up for what we believe so we just go with the “flow”. Until we can gain power, we will always feel helpless.

This class draws on a variety of issues that I do not feel like they apply to me and it is hard to accept the ideas that are out there. However, I have learned to acknowledge that they are there and that it is okay for me to not agree with them. I think that the world has many issues that need to be resolved, but we cannot tackle all of them at once. We should solve them one at a time, before picking at newer issues. This class is a perfect example of this, we came into class with so many ideas and problems with our community that we want to fix, but we narrowed down our focus, which is educating our neighbors about gleaning and exposing high school students to issues with the food programs. We were successful, because one, we worked together for a common good and we had a goal.

Besides dealing with world hunger and such issues in class, I do not think I am involving myself with similar issues out of class. I am distracted by education and in the process of finding my position in the world, which should make me more aware of it, but it is not. The more I learn in this class, the more I find myself in denial of the truths. I feel like I do not want reality to settle in just yet, because I am afraid of having to deal with them when I am on my own after graduation.